Dive!
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: The poor of MegaKat City have their dreams, and they have their pain. Many of the poor are non-feline species. One of them is a little harbor seal named Ian. A petite pup, the homeless seal is gentle and kind though other kats are blind to see. All it took was a speedo for him to see his destiny.
1. Chapter 1

**SWAT Kats: Dive!**

 **Chapter 1: Kats Only**

In a city called MegaKat City, one would assume that everyone in the city is a feline. Well, that is not exactly true. There are exceptions to that rule, but we are very rare. Some call us 'freaks' and 'mutations'. As hurtful as those words are, I don't let them bring me down even if I don't have a voice to do so, literally. My name is Ian. I am a harbor seal.

I was born a mute, and I have learned to live with that disability all my life. I use sign language to communicate, but I think it is easy to know simple words and phrases from the mouth like hello, good-bye, yes and no. Like a lot of kats that call this big city home, I have my dreams. In this city and among a feline majority, all they have to say is 'no'.

I refuse to give up or give in. My heart won't let me give in when someone tells me I can't do something. Still, I have only known rejection and being on the unwritten watch list of the police. I have never been arrested, but I see the looks some police give me. It's like they want to arrest me just for the fun of it. All because I am not of the feline species.

"Filthy seal," a cop grumbled

I turned an eye to him, and turned and walked away hoping to find some form of shelter. I am homeless, and always moving from place to place to find shelter. The only things I have are the sandals on my feet and a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. My clothes are worn with stains of dirty water from cars driving by and splashing me on those rainy days.

I have the body and appearance of a young pup, but should you know I am only sixteen. Most of the time I spend walking the beach and picking up cans and bottles that others leave behind. With that, I would take what I pick up off the beach to the local market. To me, a mere five dollars is a lot of money. I can go a whole week on that kind of money.

There are times that I just sit on the beach, and look out at the ocean. There is a quiet and tranquil calmness in the ocean. There is no past, and there is no future. I cannot age past the appearance I have now because of a condition I was diagnosed with when I was twelve called 'Barrie's Syndrome' because, like Peter Pan, it seems I will never grow up.

"Are alright, sonny?" asked a she-kat,

I grinned to her, and lightly shook my head no. The old she-kat grinned back, "Here," she said, and gave me seventy-five cents, "this is all my change," she added, I nodded in understanding and she went on her way to the supermarket. I was so thankful for her kindness. Something that seems to be lacking in most kats. Still, who am I to judge them?

I have no family, and no one to turn to in my times of need. I am alone. I have no intention of breaking your heart. I am only saying the truth as painful as it is. There are times that I cry because I wish for the things that kats take for granted. I don't have those kinds of things all because I'm different. This kind of pain is unrivaled, and this pain is mine

The soles of my sandals are so worn that I feel the rocks in the pavement stabbing through the padding. To me, an empty bottle or can is worth as much as gold. Every can and bottle I can pick up means I take a step forward to find something to eat. Even if it comes from a vending machine, I don't care. It is food, and that is the only thing that counts.

"Get lost, Water Rat!" yelled a security guard,

Once again, I am shooed away from the public places away from all the kats. As I walked the sidewalks of the city, I came across the suburbs where there was more peace than there is downtown. Some kats there are generally kinder while others will tell me to get off their property as I stare down the barrel of a shotgun. In the end, it just is what it is.

When you walk these sidewalks for as long as I have, there is a great to always look forward to seeing, a cardboard box with the word 'FREE' marked on it in sharpie. You never know what you might find in there. I know it is a stretch to say this, but in a little cardboard box I found my destiny. It is not a place to settle down for a day, but something else

In that little box, I found a swimsuit, a speedo. It was simple blue speedo, and it appeared to be in my size. I wouldn't know until I tried it on if I find a place to do so. Whoever owned this at least took the time to wash it before putting in the box to give away. Even if there might have been evidence of 'use', I still would've taken it and washed it myself.

"Hey, you can have it, little buddy," said a voice,

I looked to where the voice came from. I saw what appeared to be the homeowner trimming the bushes in his front yard. I lightly smiled to him, and nodded to him to say thank you for his kindness. As I walked away, I put the little speedo in my pocket. Now if you're looking at my big brown eyes, I have only a single question for you. Can you help me?


	2. Chapter 2

**SWAT Kats: Dive!**

 **Chapter 2: Always Will Be**

I know I should have explained this part more in further detail, but if I still have your time, allow me to explain a few things. For one thing, I am only 5'0 and 100lbs. This comes as a result of my medical condition, yet there is more to it. Barrie's Syndrome has a few notable side effects. One of the main ones is that my reproductive system doesn't work.

The only thing that I can do below the belt is, well, pee. My growth and aging have been stunted to where I am, and how I look now. Still, my brain will keep going through the normal developing process. Even with these drawbacks, I still have things that I like about myself. I still find ways to walk comfortably in my sandals even if it hurts sometimes.

I don't get called this word often. When I do, it gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling inside. There have been moments where some kats have called me 'cute'. With my small dog-like muzzle and my big brown eyes, I suppose the kats are right. I'm covered from head to toe in blue-grey spots and splotches except for the middle of my chest and belly.

When I walk by the mirrors at a clothing boutique, I do notice that there is something big about me that makes me giggle. For a pup, I do have a bit of a butt behind me. I find it to be round, smooth, and plump. It does stick out behind my preteen frame. I accept it. It's part of me that I live with. In truth, these features are things I like about myself.

I have been on the street for a long time. The only television I watch is often outside of the local sports bars or restaurants. I like to watch sports, but there is one sport I felt a calling for. I have watched the Animalympics, and the trials that lead to the games on Animalympic Island. My sport is going to be diving. Yet no one around here will train a seal

I have gotten used to the word 'no'. I am not even allowed to go to the City Pool. I feel that loneliness of not being accepted by kats. Still, I don't give up. As I left the pool, an old she-kat that was swimming laps went to me. She looked good for sixty, "I've seen you around here, It's a real shame about the 'kats only' policy, there's a place you can go,"

"Try the YMCA downtown," she suggested,

I tilted my head lightly, "Didn't you hear? It just opened,"

"It's six blocks away, you can't miss it, Honey,"

I have heard of that place. Last I checked it was still being built, and that was a year ago. I guess they finished it. The building was about six blocks from the City Pool. It is a walk, but I am up to it. I grinned, and nodded to the nice she-kat. I made the six block journey to the new building. As I went inside, I had never seen such a clean looking place

As I walked around, I found the locker room. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I was able to have a shower and try on my swimsuit. I found it to be a perfect fit. That is just the luck of the draw for finding something in a cardboard box marked 'FREE'. As I exited the locker, I saw the huge pool filled with species other than kats having fun

There were canines and kats, otters and avians all having a good time in the water. It was my turn to join in the fun. At the end of the pool in the deep end was platform 'tree' with a 5 meter, a 7.5 meter, and a 10 meter platform. I am thinking they hold competitions here as well. I closed my eyes, and felt a spiritual calling one can say to give it a try.

I am self-taught by way of television. It was time to see how far that will take me. I walked up, and began the climb up the ladder to the 10m platform. I made it to the top, and adjusted the bottom of my swimsuit, and pinched the sides to pull up the side and front lightly for comfort. With a light breath, I began the walk to the edge of the 10m platform

My toes gripped the edge of the platform. I was not going to quit now because of the height. This was the sport I wanted to commit myself to. I shifted my knees lightly at the edge to ease myself. I looked down at my feet instead of over the edge at the water to help with my nerves. I let out a very light breath, and looked forward with my eyes closed

As I opened my eyes, I felt that I was ready. I raised up my arms from my side to shoulder height. I kept my feet close together, and I lightly smiled to myself. I may not be the biggest or have the most muscle. There is one thing I am not lacking, and that is my heart. I was not going to do anything fancy, but some of the simplest things can be elegant

I made my decision. I am going to do it. My journey starts here. Wise folk would say that one should focus much less on what you can't do, and focus much more on what you can do. I cleared my mind of all thoughts, and maintained my focus. I dropped my arms to my side as I leaned forward, and then raised them up to my shoulders and I dived off


	3. Chapter 3

**SWAT Kats: Dive!**

 **Chapter 3: Helping Hands**

As I dived off the platform for the first time, I felt a sense of weightlessness as if all of my problems, and all the problems others see in me, just fade away. Halfway into my dive, I straightened my body and put my hands above my head, forming a tip. As I entered the water, my earholes picked up almost no sound of a splash. I found an advantage.

My small size makes little to no splash on entry. I surfaced to catch my breath, and swam underwater to the edge. I hoisted myself out, and looked back up at the platform. I found myself wanting to do it again. I have watched another dive I have seen on TV called the 'forward pike dive'. I adjusted the bottom of my swim briefs, and walked back to it

My plump preteen butt makes quick see-saw jiggle motions as I walk back to the platform. My little 'friend' pokes out in front though the sides of my legs hide it from others. My medical condition makes me permanently flaccid between the legs. I am two inches, and uncut. It's not like anyone give me a second glance. It's another trait I learn to live with

I climbed back up the ladder behind the platform, thinking to myself on how this dive works from what I have seen. It's just like the forward dive I just did, but I bend and touch my toes in midair before I straighten out into the dive. I wanted to try something new for my second dive, and take small steps in the difficulty of each dive. This is self-teaching

As I reached the end of the ladder and made it to the top, I paused to ready myself. I rubbed my hands lightly against the sides of my legs. I used my index fingers to adjust my suit behind me, and then my index fingers and thumbs to pinch the front above the little pouch. With my hands at my sides, I sighed a breath and went up to the platform edge.

Gripping the edge with my toes, I followed the same motions as I did before my first dive and dived off the edge. I touched my hands to my toes after the leap, and straightened out into my dive. As I surfaced, I noticed the lifeguard was looking at me. She grinned, and nodded to me. I did the same back to her kindly, and I hoisted myself out of the pool

"You're pretty good," she complimented to me, I lightly chuckled,

"You should work at it, and find yourself a trainer," she suggested,

"You never know, you can become something great," she further added,

"C'mon, I know you can do it," she further motivated, I lightly grinned,

Easier said than done. I lightly grinned, and nodded to thank her for the compliment. As refreshing as it is to be in the pool, I can only do so much by myself. The lifeguard is right. This is something worth pursuing, but I need to find someone willing to train me. It will take time, and I got all the time in the world. It was back into my old sweatpants.

As I was about to leave the building, the she-kat at the front desk looked at me. I could see a sense of pity in her light blue eyes. It was then that she offered me something I have never had for as long as I could remember. She had a look that said that she has seen many of folks in my state before. She smiled warmly to me as I looked over at her.

"You look like you can use a little help," she said from her desk. I nodded lightly to tell her that she is correct, "we have prefab apartments you can stay in at the next building over, if they're full then you can try the Salvation Army shelter across the street," I gasped a light breath with an open-toothed smile at the opportunity. I can finally find a home

I nodded to say thank you with a big grin on my muzzle, and went out the door. I went to the apartments she was talking about, and unfortunately they were all full. I shrugged my shoulders to tell myself it was okay, and went over to the Salvation Army shelter across the street. Luck seemed to be on my side even if I'm homeless. I found myself a bed.

It was very soft, and the sheets were warm. I did not want to leave, but there were things I had to do. One was finally wash my clothes. I had only the clothes I was wearing. I decided to use the blanket as cover, and went to the community laundry room with the help of directions from the staff. She can probably tell that I am naked under this blanket

There were little kittens running around, and playing. Even in these tough times, it is amazing to see kittens still laughing and playing. There were support groups of all kinds at the shelter. I was going to need all the help I can get if I am to have any kind of a future. I have never had money, but I have met some helping hands, but I need to help myself

I looked around, and I saw there are others just like me. I saw homeless kats, single moms with kittens, and many others in the same pair of shoes I am in. It was not just kats, but all species. Using a box of detergent, I washed my clothes for the first time and sat in a padded bench waiting for the wash cycle to finish. I feel like better days are coming.

 **(Author's Note: I ask you all to please read and review kindly.)**


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